Plumb Wrong 04/30/2012
 
One for the plumbers out there. Two water lines cut off without being capped, right at face level just ready for the new homeowners to turn that valve and get a blast of hot water. Same house, not four feet away is this drain line with an upside down clean out fitting that has been leaking for some time and the "handyman’s friend", duct tape sealing off an opening. 
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Another senseless cover up.

In the photo you can see how the texture of the brick is about to be covered over by a flat and lifeless layer of styrofoam and stucco as the wall to the right already has. Dull, bland, ugly and boring.

Please, all old building owners: when you contemplate leaving those wonderful brick arches exposed please take it one step further and leave all the brick exposed. Stucco is not as attractive, durable or architecturally correct as what you already have!
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The Ontario Building Code requires wood to be a minimum 6 inches from the ground, to prevent rot. This addition was completed less than a year ago (not by us!), there is less than 2 inches of clearance.
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Rot 04/08/2012
 
This structure is only 17 years old, but some improper detailing around windows, doors and flashings led to moisture migrating under the stucco. Moisture management is critical with stucco as there is no air space to allow the structure to dry. We have to cut out as much of the damage as possible and it would appear to be a good thing this wasn't left for a few more years.
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A grand old home is treated to a new mask... of acrylic stucco. I can imagine the sales pitch of "adding a layer of styrofoam to cut your heating bills" and "maintenance free exterior finish". Rubbish. The brick work was in fine shape, perhaps in need of pointing, and the color, texture and visual interest of the historic fabric of this building is now lost. 

I had a hard time not contacting the owners to question why on earth they were ruining such a great house. Just because a monochromatic blanket of off-white stupidity improves the horrible box on the rear of the house does not justify the irreversible damage wrought by another builder chasing a profit.
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Burbach Home
Example of a perfectly balanced Ontario Cottage. A new house can be beautiful.

The origins of "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly" began with my frustration with the average subdivision "spec" home... a mish-mashed muddle of misplaced and missing details:
- columns supporting flat soffit (no beams),
- porch posts that are far too thin,
- turrets above garages where there is obviously no living space inside,
- a tiny smattering of "gingerbread" (I hate that word...but that's another tangent),
- "welcome to my garage" facades.

Can we please just build simple, simply adorned, pleasing and symmetrical homes? I want to empower my clients to make solid choices when renovating through education of the building industry. Like so many things in life, we should go back to the origins of the bungalow and keep it simple. Forget the pseudo-Victorian trim tacked up above the porch; give the substantial posts something to support; and make the focus the front entry, NOT the garage! And leave the country farmhouse style screen door at the building center.

Simple, pleasing... please.
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